Method for Making a 3D Photonic Crystal

Abstract

A method for making a 3D photonic crystal includes: (a) preparing a liquid mixture including a solvent component, a particulate material suspended in the solvent component, and a filler suspended or dissolved in the solvent component, with the proviso that, when the filler is suspended in the solvent component, the filler has an average size smaller than an average size of the particulate material; (b) allowing a 3D photonic structure to grow from the liquid mixture; and (c) removing liquid from the 3D photonic structure. The method can further include (d) removing the particulate material from the 3D photonic structure after the step (c). In this case, the particulate material and the filler are made of different materials.

1 . A method for making a 3D photonic crystal, comprising:
 (a) preparing a liquid mixture including a solvent component, a particulate material suspended in the solvent component, and a filler suspended or dissolved ih the solvent component, with the proviso that, when the filler is suspended in the solvent component, the filler has an average size smaller than an average size of the particulate material;   (b) allowing a 3D photonic structure to grow from the liquid mixture; and   (c) removing liquid from the 3D photonic structure.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the average size of the particulate material ranges from 0.1 μm to 10 μm. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the average size of the filler is smaller than 1/10 of that of the particulate material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate material is made from a material selected from the group consisting of organic polymer, inorganic compound, metal, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the organic polymer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polymers of polystyrene series, polymethyl methacrylate series, poly(maleic acid) series, polylactic acid series, polyamino acid series, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the inorganic compound is selected from the group consisting of Ag 2 O, CuO, ZnO, CdO, NiO, PdO, CoO, MgO, SiO 2 , SnO 2 , TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , HfO 2 , ThO 2 , CeO 2 , CoO 2 , MnO 2 , IrO 2 , VO 2 , WO 3 , MoO 3 , Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , Yb 2 O 3 , Dy 2 O 3 , B 2 O 3 , Cr 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , Fe 3 O 4 , Nb 2 O 5 , ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, FeS, FeSe, FeTe, CoS, CoSe, CoTe, NiS, NiSe, NiTe, PbS, PbSe, PbTe, MnS, MnSe, MnTe, SnS, SnSe, SnTe, MoS 2 , MoSe 2 , MoTe 2 , WSe 2 , WTe 2 , Cu 2 S, Cu 2 Se, Cu 2 Te, Bi 2 S 3 , Bi 2 Se 3 , Bi 2 Te 2 , SiC, TiC, ZrC, WC, NbC, TaC, Mo 2 C, BN, AlN, TiN, ZrN, VN, NbN, TaN, Si 3 N 4 , Zr 3 N 4 , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu, Fe, Co, Ni, Pd, Pt, Al, Si, Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Mo, W, Mn, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the filler is made of a material selected from the group consisting of an inorganic salt, inorganic oxide, metal, inorganic alkoxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the inorganic salt is selected from the group consisting of group IIIA elements, group IVA elements, group VA elements, group VIA elements, group VIIA elements, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the inorganic oxide is selected from the group consisting of Ag 2 O, CuO, ZnO, CdO, NiO, PdO, CoO, MgO, SiO 2 , SnO 2 , TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , HfO 2 , ThO 2 , CeO 2 , CoO 2 , MnO 2 , IrO 2 , VO 2 , WO 3 , MoO 3 , Al 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , Yb 2 O 3 , Dy 2 O 3 , B 2 O 3 , Cr 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , Fe 3 O 4 , V 2 O 5 , Nb 2 O 5 , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu, Fe, Co, Ni, Pd, Pt, Al, Si, Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Mo, W, Mn, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the inorganic alkoxide is selected from the group consisting of alkoxysilane, aluminum alkoxide, titanium alkoxide, zirconium alkoxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step (b) is conducted by gravity sedimentation, centrifugal sedimentation, electrical sedimentation, magnetic sedimentation, vacuum filtration, pressure filtration, centrifugal filtration, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step (c) is conducted by natural drying, vacuum drying, oven drying, microwave drying, infrared drying, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (d) removing the particulate material from the 3D photonic structure after the step (c);   wherein the particulate material and the filler are made of different materials.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein, in the step (d), the particulate material is removed by a calcining process. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein, in the step (d), the particulate material is removed by dissolving the particulate material in a solvent.